Switch



(No Model.)

B. F. BICKBRTON. SWITGL NQ. 581,099. v Patented Apr'. 20', 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

BENJAMIN F. BICKERTON, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

SWITCH.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,099, dated April20, 1897.

Application led June 10,1896. Serial No. 595,056. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. BICKER- TON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switches;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to switch-throwers adapted to be operated from amoving car.

The object of the present invention is the provision of improved andsimple switchthrowing mechanism which can be easily applied to theordinary form of switch-tongue, together with improved trippingmechanism actuated from and connected to the moving car.

Having these objects in view the invention consists of certain novelfeatures and combinations, as will appear more fully hereinafter and inthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of theswitch-throwing mechanism as applied to an ordinary railway track andswitch; and Fig. 2, a sectional side elevation showinga car equippedwith my improved tripping mechanism, full lines representing the normalposition of the parts and dotted lines the position during the tripping'operation.

The switch-throwing mechanism will first be described.

The main rails of an ordinary railway-track are designated by thenumerals 1 and 2 as being supported on ties 3.

The rails of a branch track are shown at 4L and 5.

vThe numeral 6 designates an ordinary pivoted switch-ton gue. Theswitch-plate or base is transversely recessed, as shown at 7.

A standard 8, suitably secured below the surface of the road-bed, isprovided with` upwardly-extending arms 9 and 10. A rocking plate orlever 11, received between these arms, is journaled on ahorizontally-disposed spindle 12. This rocking plate is provided with anupper lever-arm 13 and two lower lever-arms 14: and 15, respectively.Trippingbars 16 and 17 are pivotally connected to these lower arms.Abell-crank lever 17, pivot-ally mounted on a suitable chair 18, isadapted for horizontal movement. A link19, adapted for movement inrecess 7, has its respective ends pivotally connected to theswitch-tongue and to one arm of the bell-crank lever. A connecting-rod2O has one screw-threaded end 21 adj ustably connected to a pivot-plate22, which is pivoted to the other arm of the bellcrank-lever, and theother end connected to a second pivot-plate 23, that is pivoted to theupper arm of the rocking plate.

A plate 24, connected to ties immediately over the rocking plate, isprovided with parallel guides 25 and 26, between which are situatedapertures 27 and 28, through which the upper ends of the tripping-barspass. Pivoted tripping-tongues 29 and 30 have their free ends resting onupper ends of the trippin g-bars, as shown.

An ordinary car is represented at 31, and being provided with duplicatetripping mechanism at its ends a description of one will suffice.

The numeral 32 designates ahanger secured to the bottom of the car. Theupper end of a tripping-lever 33 is pivoted in this hanger, so that thelever will be adapted for longitudinal movement. A wheel 34. isjournaled in the free end of this lever. A coil-spring 35, fastened tothe lever and the car-body, tends to keep the lever inclined toward thecenter Of the car. A second hanger 36 affords a pivoted connection for abell-crank lever 37, whose lower arm is connected to the trip-lever by arod 38. A removable bolt 39 passes through the car-platform, straddlesthe upper arm of the bell-crank lever, and rests on pin 40, projectingytherefrom. This bolt is under the control of themotorman or operator,and when depressed actuates the connecting mechanism and draws thetripping-lever to a substantiallyvertical position and into engagementwith the pivoted tripping-tongues 29 and 30, as shown in dotted lines.

Assuming that the car is on the main line, which is unbroken andapproaching the switch, if the car is to keep to the main track themechanism is not used. If, however, it is desired to run onto the branchline, the switch may be thrown in the following man- IOO ner: Theoperator depresses the bolt and holds it depressed until after the iirsttripping-tongue has been passed. Ile then releases it. \Vhen the wheel3l comes in contact with the tripping-tongue, it and the tripping-barimmediately below are depressed and the rocking plate moved, whereuponthe connections shift or throw the switch-tongue, breaking the main lineand allowing the car to run onto the branch line. \Vhen the rockingplate moves, the free tripping-arm and tripping-tongue are thrown up.IIence the necessity of releasing the bolt before they are reached. Asecond car following` the one just mentioned could keep the main trackif the operator depressed the free or raised trippingtongue, therebyrethrowing the switch-tongue.

Both ends of the carare provided with tripping mechanism, so that theswitch can be thrown when the car is proceeding in either direction.

It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the preciseconstruction herein shown and described, but consider myself entitled toall such variations as come within the spirit and scope of theinvention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is In aswitch-throwing mechanism, the combination of a rocking plate disposedin longitudinal relation to the rails of the track and pivoted at itscentral point, tripping-bars pivoted to the ends of the rocking plate, aguide extending longitudinally in relation to the track and havingopenings which receive the upper free ends et' the tripping-bars, saidguide having a slot, tongues lying in said slot and pivoted to theguide, said tongues having their free portions resting on the upper endsof the tripping-bars, a pivotcd switch-tongue, a bell-crank lever, aconnection between one arm of the bell-crank lever and the switchtongucand a rod connecting the other arm of the bell-crank lever with therocking plate, whereby when the latter is moved, the switchtongue isactuated.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN F. ISICKERTON. lVitncsses:

Tiros. F. CoNcASxoN, CHARLEs II. Davis.

